Work Environment

Want a Flourishing Workplace? Motivation Helps Your Employees Succeed

Why Motivate Employees?

When motivation flourishes in a work environment, employees feel supported and achieve more. And its not that hard. Here are 5 ways to assist your employees succeed.

1.     Set realistic goals

Ensure your employees have clarity and clear expectations around their employment role. Workplaces that encourage their employees to set goals and give recognition when they are achieved, lay the foundation for a healthy thriving business environment. By establishing and monitoring targets, you can give your employees real-time input on their performance while motivating them to achieve more.

2.     Connect employee goals to larger company goals

Goals that are connected to larger organizational objectives, are more effective and meaningful for motivating employees. Those who don’t have a clear understanding what role they play in their company’s success are more likely to become disengaged. Those who do, understand they are part of that success when the company achieves its own targets.

3.     Ensure Goals are attainable and challenging

Encourage your employees to draft goals that directly contribute to the organization’s targets. Then have a conversation with them about whether their goals are realistic and challenging enough. Stretching an employee will give them a better sense of achievement. But if goals are too challenging it’s likely to end in resentment. At the same time don’t be tempted to aim too low either.

4.     Monitor progress

It is helpful for an employee and employer to understand that they are partners in achieving goals. So, it’s helpful to have regular check-ins with each other to review long-term and short-term goals. It’s a good idea to ask your employee what type of monitoring feedback would be most helpful for them, especially if they have a challenging task or are carrying out a task  for the first time. Then problem solve with them on how to best help them  to get the job done.

5.     When goals aren’t met.

There are times when despite best efforts targets are not met. Don’t just accept this as a mistake. The employee should be held accountable. Identifying the reason why the employer did not meet their goals, and whether or not it was within their control, is a good start. Be resolution-focused and apply solutions that will assist them achieve their goal. If the employer has contributed to the problem, be willing to reflect on your role in the failure.  It might be as simple as being too hands off,  or a lack of clarity.

Supporting employees to succeed helps businesses to flourish and grow. It takes time. Nobody is perfect – that’s why  pencils have erasers.